Thinkpads Forum

Hello,

I just struggle with all this model numbers. I wondering, why IBM specify only a few R51 laptops to run with Linux (Suse).
There are not so many different between these models.

For example:
I can buy the 1830-BRG together with a Linux-OS direct from the reseller.
On the IBM-page I only found the 1830-BUU specified for Linux

However, the 1829-9MG is only sligthly different to the 1830-BRG (Dothan and a smaller HDD rather then a Boran CPU) but there is no information about a possible Linux-OS.

I found some webpages which specify some other R51 which are not listed on the IBM-page.

Is there any problem with the Dothan rather then the Boran processor under a Linux-OS?

Is there any hardware-part (e.g. WLAN, Modem, Networkadapter, DVD-R, etc.) in some of the R51 which omit the use of Linux?

Actually, the final question is:

Can I install Linux on any R51 or is there really a limitation?


Thanks for help

Totti

AFAIK the biggest problems when installing Linux on a notebook are: wireless card (look on net which are supported, and how good e.g: WPA support, 802.1x support, monitor mode if you need it, maturity of the driver).

Other problematic parts include: power management (hibernation, suspend), hotkey support ... these are common to all notebooks/thinkapds and are resolvable to some extent.

tottiwagner,

>I can buy the 1830-BRG together with a Linux-OS direct from the reseller.

Did you mean that you can buy the above ThinkPad from the above reseller with linux-OS preinstalled. If yes, may I ask who is this reseller. I'd like to check their web link and other contact information will be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Shoaib

In my experience the Cisco wi-fi cards are a real pain to get working in Linux, I'd avoid that.

slagmi wrote:In my experience the Cisco wi-fi cards are a real pain to get working in Linux, I'd avoid that.

OTOH, I had much more luck with Cisco cards (the latest kernel drivers are excellent) than any other card on Linux.